Lions welcome release of Australia duo for Reds duty
The British and Irish Lions have welcomed Australia's decision to release two Wallabies back to the Reds amid rising tension between the rivals' top brass.
Hooker Matt Faessler and centre Hunter Paisami will face Andy Farrell's side in Brisbane next Wednesday following a row between Australia head coach Joe Schmidt and Lions chief executive Ben Calveley.
Schmidt was previously only allowing a number of his Western Force players to feature against the tourists in Perth on Saturday, resulting in a warning from Calveley of the hosts' contractual obligations to ensure the Super Rugby franchises field the strongest possible sides.
Calveley and Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh met on Wednesday to discuss the situation, leading to Schmidt's decision to release Faessler and Paisami.
"It's exciting," Lions assistant coach Andrew Goodman said.
"Hunter is a great player. If you look at the Force players who've been released, I've watched a lot of their rugby this year and they've got an exciting group.
"If you watch a Force team or a Reds team during Super Rugby, it's not an indication of what you're going to get against a Lions team.
"It's a once-in-a-life opportunity for most of those guys, so the level of intensity is going to be through the roof."
Ireland duo Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan are the only doubts ahead of Saturday's showdown with the Force at Optus Stadium because of respective glute and calf injuries.
The Lions on Thursday morning name their team for the Perth opener and Goodman said: "A couple of them are still in return-to-play and we'll see how they pull up after today (Wednesday)."
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